Valve

ABSTRACT

A two way valve for controlling flow between pressures (P1) and (P2) which is biased closed by a spring overcoming the weight of the moving valve operating member and also by pressures (P1) and (P2) so the valve is fail-safe whether (P1) is less than, equal to, or greater than (P2). This is accomplished by dividing the moving valve operating member into two parts acting cumulatively or in series with one part biased closed by (P1) and open by (P2) and with the other part biased closed by (P2).

United States Patent 11 1 Robertson [111 3,774,877 [451 Nov. 27, 1973VALVE [76] Inventor: Walter W. Robertson, PO. Box 86, Girard, Pa. 16417[22] Filed: Aug. 8, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 278,873

U.S. Cl 251/30, 251/175, 251/282 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6k 1/32 [58] Field ofSearch, 251/282, 175, 30

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,385,561 5/1968 Whalen251/282 3,469,818 9/1969 Cowan 251/175 X 3,700,209 10/1972 Usry PrimaryExaminer-Arnold Rosenthal Att0rney-Ralph Hammar [57 ABSTRACT A two wayvalve for controlling flow between pressures (P1) and (P2) which isbiased closed by a spring overcoming the weight of the moving valveoperating member and also by pressures (P1) and (P2) so the valve isfail-safe whether (P1) is less than, equal to, or greater than (P2)vThis is accomplished by dividing the moving valve operating member intotwo parts acting cumulatively or inseries with one part biased closed by(P1) and open by (P2) and with the other part biased closed by (P2).

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures,

I I 1 lllllll 7 FIG. 1 is a section through a valve and FIG. 2 is a freebody diagram of the pressure forces on the moving valve operatingmember.

The valve body 1 has fittings 2, 3, one of which may be an inlet fittingand the other of which may be an outlet fitting. In service, fitting 3is connected to a line 4 carrying a pressure P1 and fitting 2 isconnected to a line 5 carrying a pressure P2. A way 6 leads from fitting3 to one side of a valve seat 7 leading to a valve port 8. The fitting 2leads to a way 9 connected to the valve the valve port 8 is controlledby a valve member 10 having a sealing element 11 closing against thevalve seat. The valve member 10 is biased to the closed position by aspring 12 arranged between a seat 13 on the valve member and a seat 14on a piston 15 slidable toward and away from the valve seat in a bore 16in the body. The lower end of the piston 15 butts against the upper endof a plug 17 screwed into the body and sealed to, the bore 16 by anysuitable sealing element 18 such as an O-ring. A similar sealing element19, seals the piston 15 to the bore. The under side of the piston 15 issupplied with pressure P] through a way 20 in the plug which may, forexample, be supplied by a line 21 leading from line 4 to fitting '22 inthe lower end of the plug 17. The pressure P1 could obviously besupplied to the fitting 22 by connecting the line 21 to any otherportion subject to pressure P1, such as the way 6 leading from thefitting 3. Above the piston 15 is a piston 23 sealed to the bore 16 by-asealing element 24. The upper end of the piston 23 is fixed-to the valvemember 10. A way 25 conducts pressure P2 to the space between the upperend of piston 15 and the lower end of piston 23. Pressure P2 accordinglyis at all times present and exerting a downward force on thepiston 15and an upward or valve, closing force on the lower end of the piston 23.I

There are several conditions under which the valve will be closed.First, when P1 and P2 are both equal to zero, the valve member 10 willbe closed by the spring 12. This will also be true for all otherconditions under which P1 is equal to P2. Second, when P2 is greaterthan Pl the piston 15 will be held in its lowermost position as shown inFIG. 1 and the valve member 10 will lower end of piston 23 which isgreater than the downward force acting on the portion of the upper endof the piston 23 within the sealing element 1 1. Third, when P1 isgreater than P2, the piston 15 will be raised so that its surface 26abuts the lower end surface 27 of the piston 23 and holds the piston 23in its uppermost position as shown in FIG. 1. The forces are shown inthe free body diagram of FIG. 2 where the diameter of the piston 23within the seal 11 is indicated at d1 and the diameter of the piston 15and of the lower end of the piston 23 is indicated at d2. From thisdiagram it can be determined that when P1 is greater than or equal toP2, the closing force is equal to (P1 P2)1r/4 41*, a force which becomeszero when P1 is equal to P2. When P2 port on the opposite side of theseat 7. Flow through i is greater than P1, the closing force is equal to(P2 Pl) (d2 dl. )1r/4. The valve, therefore, fails-safe in the sensethat it is biased to the closed position under all conditions.

The valve is opened by a push rod 28 extending into the valve body 1through a stuffing box 29 and having its lower end 30 abutting the upperend of the valve member 10. When the push rod 28 is urgeddownward,

it pushes the valve member 10 away from the valve seat 7 and opens thevalve. The particular structure for actuating the push rod 28 comprisesa pneumatic diaphragm actuator 30a fixed to the upper end of a framemember 31 on the valve body 1. The diaphragm actuator has a diaphragm 32with the lower side vented to atmosphere through an opening 33 aroundthe push rod 28 and having the upper side presented to asource ofpressure through a fitting 34. The pressure supplied 7 to the fitting.34 is controlled by a normally closed three-way solenoid valve 35having an inlet fitting 36 for connection to a pressure line 37, anoutlet fitting38 for connection to the supply fitting 34 of thediaphragm activator 30a and a vent fitting 39. When the solenoid 40 isde-energized as shown, a valve member 41 is biased to close the inletfitting 36 and to open the outlet fitting 39. When the solenoid isenergized, the valve" member 41 opens the inlet fitting 36'and. closesthe outlet fitting 39. This supplies pressure to the upper side of thediaphragm 32 and urges the push rod 28 downward to open the valve. Thevalve operator including the diaphragm actuator and the three-way valve35 is also fail-safe. Upon failure of the electric power supply, thepressure to the upper side of the diaphragm 32 is vented through way 39so that the valve member 10 is urged to the closed position'by thespring 12.

The spring 12 need only be strong enough to overcome friction and tolift the piston 23 under conditions when P1 is equalto P2. Under allother conditions the fluid pressure assists the closing of the valve.Opening of the valve is efiected by the actuator 30a which can be sizedto exert the required force. The, particular ,valve shown is a one inchvalve for controlling pressures of 20,000 pounds per square inch.

What is claimed is: 1. A valve for controlling the flow betweenpressures P1 and P2 comprising a body having 'a connection to P1, aconnection to P2, a flow path between said connections, a port in saidflow path, a valve member for opening and closing said port, means forclosing the valve comprising first and second pistons for exerting aforce on said valve member in one direction to close said P said firstpiston having one side facingsaid one direction, a way leading from P1to the other side of said first piston for supplying pressure P1exerting a force on said first piston in said one direction,

said second piston having one side facing said one direction and inforce transmitting relation to said valve member and the other sidepresented to said one side of the first piston, a way leading from P2 tothe other side of said second piston for supplying pressure P2 exertinga force on said second piston in said one direction and for exerting aforce on said one side of the first'piston in the oppositedirection,

means for opening the valve,

and a force transmitting abutment between said pistons for transmittingforces from one piston to the other.

2. The valve of claim 1 in which a spring arranged between said one sideof the first piston and the other side of the second piston exerts aforce in said one direction.

3. The valve of claim 1 in which said valve member is fixed to said oneside of the second piston.

4. The valve of claim 1 in which the means for opening the valvecomprises a push rod exerting a force on said valve member in saidopposite direction.

5. The valve of claim 4 in which the operating force is applied to thepush rod by a fluid actuator.

6. The valve of claim 4 in which the fluid actuator is supplied througha three-way solenoid valve having a pressure inlet for connection to asupply line, a pressure outlet connected to the fluid actuator and avent, said valve being normally biased to close the pressure inlet andopen the vent and being actuated by the solenoid to open the pressureinlet and close the vent.

1. A valve for controlling the flow between pressures P1 and P2comprising a body having a connection to P1, a connection to P2, a flowpath between said connections, a port in said flow path, a valve memberfor opening and closing said port, means for closing the valvecomprising first and second pistons for exerting a force on said valvemember in one direction to close said port, said first piston having oneside facing said one direction, a way leading from P1 to the other sideof said first piston for supplying pressure P1 exerting a force on saidfirst piston in said one direction, said second piston having one sidefacing said one direction and in force transmitting relation to saidvalve member and the other side presented to said one side of the firstpiston, a way leading from P2 to the other side of said second pistonfor supplying pressure P2 exerting a force on said second piston in saidone direction and for exerting a force on said one side of the firstpiston in the opposite direction, means for opening the valve, and aforce transmitting abutment between said pistons for transmitting forcesfrom one piston to the other.
 2. The valve of claim 1 in which a springarranged between said one side of the first piston and the other side ofthe second piston exerts a force in said one direction.
 3. The valve ofclaim 1 in which said valve member is fixed to said one side of thesecond piston.
 4. The valve of claim 1 in which the means for openingthe valve comprises a push rod exerting a force on said valve member insaid opposite direction.
 5. The valve of claim 4 in which the operatingforce is applied to the push rod by a fluid actuator.
 6. The valve ofclaim 4 in which the fluid actuator is supplied through a three-waysolenoid valve having a pressure inlet for connection to a supply line,a pressure outlet connected to the fluid actuator and a vent, said valvebeing normally biased to close the pressure inlet and open the vent andbeing actuated by the solenoid to open the pressure inlet and close thevent.